Mikel Arteta Bashes VAR
With the addition of VAR, or “Video Assistant Referee” into the Premier League this season, there was hope at the beginning of the season that there would be more transparency between referee and coaches/players. However, after a spew of games in which VAR clearly got the call incorrect, and by some margin, some of the Premier Leagues best managers have come out and given their two cents on the situation.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, came out after a 1-0 defeat away to Newcastle and had some strong words against VAR
Not only did he release this statement, but he went on his post game presser and bashed the referee’s immediately after the loss.
This was an extreme slight at the referee’s in the Premier League and also to the entire VAR system. It’s clear that there are some things that are missed, we’re all humans, but there have been clear and obvious decisions that have been rectified as a goal or not a goal, a foul or not a foul, it really is a very tricky component that has been added into the league.
Though after watching the replay, you could point out two individual moments on Newcastle's goal that could have and should have been ruled as out of bounds, or a foul on Gabriel.
The Premier League surely has to do something about how inconsistent and flawed this system is, or else we are at risk of losing what made this game be called “the beautiful game.” There are always going to be things that are missed, but this is not American Football, you have to let the game play out as fluid as it can be then there are no excuses as to why a team has won or lost, simply not putting all the blame on VAR.
